San Francisco 49ers rookie Mike Iupati laughs with teammates as he does warm up exercises at a minicamp, Friday April 30, 2010, in Santa Clara, Calif.

San Francisco 49ers rookie Mike Iupati laughs with teammates as he does warm up exercises at a minicamp, Friday April 30, 2010, in Santa Clara, Calif.

Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle

Receiver Ginn learning the ropes

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Ted Ginn Jr. just finished his third NFL season. He has 128 career catches for 1,664 yards and five touchdowns.

For all that experience, Ginn might have felt more comfortable in the 49ers' rookie minicamp Friday afternoon, as opposed to the veteran offseason workout Friday morning.

He feels that much like a rookie, all over again, from studying the unfamiliar offense to learning the unfamiliar faces.

"For sure," Ginn said. "Guys know you but they really don't know you. You've got to come in and get to learn everybody and how they act and how they cope with one another. As you move on, you find out who is who."

But who is Ginn? The receiver/returner stud at Ohio State drafted ninth overall in 2007? Or, the benched receiver-turned-strictly a kick returner whom Miami traded for a fifth-round pick two weeks ago?

That's what the 49ers want to know.

"More and more every day, as you have coaches coming back, they are saying, 'This guy has a lot more to him than just a return guy. He's going to help our team as a receiver,' " 49ers coach Mike Singletary said.

"The more he gets acclimated, the better he gets at being a receiver, the less we are going to want him doing some of those (other) things. I think it's important to remember he is a receiver."

Ginn acted like one in practice Friday. He used his quickness to get off the line of scrimmage and his speed to stretch the defense on go-deep routes.

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